Crash test dummies are used in the automotive industry to test the safety of motor vehicles regarding occupant protection in the event of an accident. For this purpose, different standardized crash tests are carried out, for example frontal impacts, side impacts, rear impacts and rollover tests. The crash test dummies are mounted or otherwise positioned in motor vehicles to be tested, and respective crash tests are carried out.
The used crash test dummies have a plurality of sensors in order to be able to measure the effect of the crash on the crash test dummy. In many cases, the used sensors are force sensors, position transducers and acceleration sensors. While carrying out the crash test, these sensors measure and record occurring accelerations, penetrations and forces. The measuring data subsequently are evaluated and the strain is analyzed.
The crash test dummies are to simulate the characteristics of humans. This is in reference to dimensions, flexibility, weight and the like. For this reason, crash test dummies are difficult to handle.
A crash test dummy is regularly certified so to ensure that it returns reliable values. For the certification, the measurement chain made of mechanics sensors of the crash test dummies has to be tested. For this purpose, a plurality of different tests are necessary.
Some of the tests provide that a test pendulum, which has a defined mass and which is suspended at a defined length from a cable assembly, is swung from a defined height against predetermined points of the crash test dummy. Such predetermined points, for example, are situated at the hips, shoulders, sternum and head. The pendulum on impact has, on account of the known mass and the precisely defined movement of the pendulum, a precisely determined pulse. This precision is used to test the reaction of the sensors of the crash test dummy in response to the precisely determined pulse. If a sensor outputs a value which is not within a narrow limit value corridor, a defect of the sensor or of the mechanical components of the crash test dummy is indicated, and the respective sensor or the defective mechanical components are replaced. The certification of the crash test dummies ensures that the measuring system delivers correct values for the crash test dummy, with the aid of which the vehicle approval tests can be carried out and the targeted development of corresponding restraint systems is enabled.
Conventional certification devices, which work with the test pendulums described previously, are constructed around the test pendulum. As a function of the respective test to be carried out, the crash test dummy has to be positioned precisely in relation to a reference point determined by the test pendulum. For spaces having a low ceiling clearance, as a result, the height of the reference point is located in an ergonomically disadvantageously low manner. On account of the characteristics of the crash test dummy, the size, the articulated extremities and the high weight of most crash test dummies, in particular of adult-size crash test dummies, this task is physically very demanding for the personnel carrying out the tests. Furthermore, for the certification of one individual test crash dummy, a plurality of test rounds have to be performed at the test pendulum, so that a crash test dummy for a certification has to be newly positioned numerous times. The positioning has to be carried out with much precision in relation to the reference point. This task is time consuming, so that each day only a small number of certifications can be performed. Moreover, the crash test dummies when being certified are not available for carrying out crash tests. The operation of a certification lab is necessary; however, it is uneconomical.
The test devices necessary for the certification of crash test dummies, in particular the pendulums to be used, take up a lot of space because the standardized cable length is great and the pendulum has to be deflected by a great amount. For this reason, construction and operation of respective devices for crash test dummies are associated with complications. On the one hand, sufficiently sized rooms have to be provided; on the other hand, the facilities when in operation have to be protected against accidents, in particular collisions including swinging test pendulums.